The Women's Podcast

Lessons in Chemistry by American author Bonnie Garmus was our latest pick for the podcast book club. In a rare turn of events, our book clubbers found themselves in agreement, collectively singing the praises of this debut novel. That’s why we’re delighted to be joined by the author today, as she tells Róisín Ingle about her long road to writing success, the excitement of her book becoming an inst...

In 2018, while at home in her London apartment, journalist Sally Hayden received a Facebook message from a young African refugee, pleading for her help. He was one of thousands of migrants who had tried to reach Europe, only to end up trapped in a Libyan detention camp, with no way out. In her new book, My Fourth Time, We Drowned, Hayden pieces together the stories of these refugees and details th...

In her brilliant debut novel, None of This is Serious, Catherine Prasifka writes about life in the era of social media. She talks to Róisín about the consequences of living online and in the real world. They also discuss her love of fantasy writing, the inevitable comparisons to her sister in-law Sally Rooney and her plans for her next book. Plus: Richie Sadlier on his book, Let's Talk, a modern g...

Set in the early 1960’s, Lessons in Chemistry follows the life of Elizabeth Zott, a scientist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a TV cooking show. In this episode, our book clubbers Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín and Ann Ingle share their thoughts on this vibrant and original story from debut author Bonnie Garmus. Keep an ear out for our upcoming interview wi...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition which affects millions of people around the world. It is often associated with hyperactive or disruptive children and as a result ADHD in women often goes undiagnosed. In today’s episode, Róisín Ingle speaks to two women who received a diagnosis of ADHD in their late twenties, broadcaster and journalist Brianna Parkins and barr...

In today’s episode, we’re delighted to reveal that Women’s Aid has been chosen as Twitter’s main charity partner for 2022. To speak about the initiative and how it will help women across the country, Róisín Ingle is joined by Managing Director of Twitter Ireland Sinead McSweeney and CEO of Women’s Aid, Sarah Benson join Róisín Ingle. Also, Eloise Head, aka Fitwaffle speaks to Róisín about her bran...

What does it mean to be female? Mother, carer, the weaker sex? Think again. Lucy Cooke says a revolution has been brewing in zoology and evolutionary biology in the past few decades, demonstrating how the female of the species has been marginalised and misunderstood by the scientific patriarchy. In this episode, the zoologist and broadcaster joins Róisín and biologist, environmental consultant and...

In this week's episode, we're talking about matrescence. That's the word used to describe the physical, emotional, hormonal and social transition to becoming a mother. Everyone understands that adolescence is an awkward phase, but during matrescence mothers are expected to be deliriously happy, while simultaneously losing control over the way they look and feel.  With Mother’s Day this weeken...

Marian Keyes talks to Róisín about her latest ‘selling-like-hotcakes’ book, ‘Again, Rachel’, the sequel to her much-loved novel 'Rachel’s Holiday', which was published 25 years ago. For the day that’s in it, they also talk about what it means to be an Irish woman in 2022 and Marian tells us why she’s inspired by younger Irish women and their determination not to take any bulls**t. www.irishtimes.c...

On Tuesday evening, The Women’s Podcast gathered together a group of women to take part in 'The Change', a special storytelling evening to mark International Women’s Day 2022. Hosted on Zoom by Róisín Ingle and Kathy Sheridan, our guests told their personal tales of transformation. The panel included Irish Times contributor and author Hilary Fannin, Miss Ireland Pamela Uba, activist Lavinia Kerwic...

Kyiv native Nadia Dobrianska fled her hometown early last Thursday morning, as Russia launched their first attacks on Ukraine. The human rights worker and lawyer is now in hiding with her family in the Ukrainian countryside, a few hours outside of the city. In this episode, Dobrianska describes life in a time of war. She tells Róisín Ingle why she decided to evacuate immediately, how the family ha...

In the first book club episode of 2022, Bernice Harrison, Niamh Towey, Róisín and Ann Ingle are discussing The Herd by Emily Edwards. The Herd tells the story of a parent grappling with the decision whether or not to vaccinate their child, but it’s also an exploration of the trials and tribulations of modern motherhood. So what did our book clubbers make of this very topical story and would they r...

In the Summer of 1976, two young Irish women, Elizabeth Plunkett and Mary Duffy were abducted and murdered by Ireland’s first serial killers Geoffrey Evans and John Shaw. Having met in a UK prison a few years beforehand, the two men travelled to Ireland with a plan to rape and murder as many women as possible. In today’s episode, Irish Times Senior Features Writer Rosita Boland tells the story of...

We Heart Worry is a brilliant podcast from Irish actors and writers Phillipa Dunne and Yasmine Akram. From worrying about the hidden meaning of a dream about Jared Leto, to fretting about accidentally putting your child’s birth cert in the clothes bank, Phillipa and Yasmine run the gamut of all our worries, niche to normal, in their podcast. They talk to Róisín about the show and the many worries...

In a recent article in The Irish Times, Sacha Dekker described an incident during which she was mocked by strangers in a restaurant who found her disability funny. Sacha tells Róisín why, even though she is a warrior who has overcome enormous obstacles in her life, she was hurt by this experience and how writing about it helped her get past it. Róisín also talks to cosmetics guru, TV presenter and...

Last year, the Women of Honour (WOH) documentary by journalist Katie Hannon was broadcast on RTE, revealing allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and rape within the Irish Defence Forces. In this episode, Róisín Ingle meets two members of the WOH group, retired company quartermaster Sgt Karina Molloy and retired army captain Diane Byrne. They speak about their own experiences of bullying and abu...

Halfway through her term as Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland talks to Róisín about being only the 10th woman to hold the office and her ambitions while she’s there, including Brigit 2022: Dublin City Celebrating Women, a festival marking St Brigid’s Day this year. They also talk about feminism, her quest to make Dublin a safer city for everyone and her personal experience of sexual assault w...

25 years ago a comprehensive government task-force report on violence against women was published. Since then, nearly 250 women have been murdered in Ireland, including Ashling Murphy, laid to rest this week by her family. In today’s podcast, Róisín talks to columnist with the Irish Examiner, Alison O’Connor, final year law student, Inny Ekeolu, professor of psychology at the University of Limeric...

Have you ever questioned the path you’ve found yourself on? Ever fantasised about quitting your job and making a career change? Or maybe life just intervened and forced you to change lanes. For many or us, the pandemic has had a huge impact on our attitudes to work. It’s been a time of soul searching and reflection on what makes us happy and keeps us motivated. Today we speak to two women about th...

Today, we celebrate Women’s Christmas or as it’s known in Ireland Nollaig na mBan. Traditionally this was the day when women got a day off after all the emotional and physical labour of making Christmas happen. But have we really moved on very much from the days when women did the majority of work in the home? And how much is this clear imbalance holding us back? In The Invisible Job: Pa...

In this episode presenters Kathy and Róisín are joined by producers Jennifer and Suzanne to look back at 2021. We share our favourite episodes, name our women of the year and talk about some of the highs and lows of the past 12 months. **This episode was recorded in mid-December 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, in the bleakness of lockdown three, Jan Brierton became a viral sensation with her pandemic poem What day is it? Who gives a f*ck. Sharing her thoughts on the monotony of lockdown life, her words resonated with many across the country and beyond. In today’s episode, the stylist turned poet tells Róisín Ingle how that poem changed the course of her life this year, leading to the...

Feast your ears on this deliciously festive food episode with columnist, broadcaster and author Grace Dent. As restaurant critic for The Guardian and a regular face on Masterchef, Grace tells Róisín Ingle what tasty treats feature in her Christmas spread every year. The pair reminisce about Yuletide dinners through the decades, from the joy of the humble pud, to the homemade trifle lathered with B...

It has been another fantastic year for books: Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You, Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation, Catherine Ryan Howard’s 56 Days, Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout, Louise Nealon’s Snowflake, Fíona Scarlett’s Boys Don’t Cry, the list goes on and on. In this episode Róisín is joined by our book clubbers Niamh Towey, Ann Ingle and Bernice Harrison to share their favourit...

For thousands of young people across Ireland, the impact of the pandemic has been catastrophic. This is especially true for children from disadvantaged communities, who may have grown up with gangland violence on their doorstep, or in a home with addiction, overcrowding or poverty. For many, the usual supports they relied on, like schooling and youth clubs were taken away overnight. In a new docum...